Mountain Dew Then: The BVO Era
For most of Mountain Dews history its formula contained Brominated Vegetable Oil (BVO) - a bromine-containing emulsifier. BVO was banned in the EU and Japan decades ago. It was banned in India in 2003. In the US, BVO remained permitted until the FDA banned it in August 2024. PepsiCo reformulated US Mountain Dew to remove BVO in 2014 after a Change.org petition gathered over 200,000 signatures. Other concerning ingredients remained.
| Category | Mountain Dew US | Mountain Dew UK | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sweetener | High-Fructose Corn Syrup | Sugar (sucrose) | HFCS not used in EU/UK at scale |
| Yellow color | Yellow 5 (Tartrazine) | Riboflavin (Vitamin B2) | Yellow 5 requires EU warning label |
| Preservative | Sodium Benzoate | Potassium Sorbate | Sodium benzoate + ascorbic acid can form benzene |
| Emulsifier | SAIB (replaced former BVO) | None needed | BVO banned in US August 2024 |
Why Sodium Benzoate Is a Concern
Sodium benzoate can react with ascorbic acid (vitamin C) to form benzene - IARC Group 1 known carcinogen. This reaction occurs in acidic beverages. The FDA and UK Food Standards Agency found most products have benzene below 5 ppb drinking water standard, but some tested products exceeded it. The UK Mountain Dew uses potassium sorbate instead - derived from sorbic acid found in rowan berries.
Healthier Soda Alternatives
- Olipop Lemon Lime: no Yellow 5, no HFCS, no sodium benzoate. Prebiotic fiber.
- Poppi Strawberry Lemon: apple cider vinegar base, no synthetic dyes.
- Spindrift Lemon Sparkling Water: water and lemon juice.
- Jarritos Mineral Water: natural mineral water with natural fruit flavors.